Day 22: Kibakichi (2004)

By Sam Reeve

Today’s film for Japanese Horror Month is the ugly child that would be produced if the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had sex with Conan the Barbarian. Kibakichi, also known in English as Werewolf Warrior, was made in 2004, though you’d never know it with the terrible special effects and big hair.

Kibakichi is a werewolf samurai who wanders around looking like a caveman with a silly hat. He ends up in a village of yokai, monsters that take on human form. Being a yokai himself, but one who thinks he should trust humans, he’s not too pleased at first.

Yakuza men with an old machine gun decide to take out the yokai people in the end, and that’s about all there is to this tale.

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH IT: If you like schlocky 80’s horror, then step right up. The yokai in this are totally ridiculous, the fights include plenty of slow-mo and exaggerated kung-fu moves, and there’s a rad scene where geishas turn into evil bee/spider monsters.

WHAT DIDN’T WORK: The only thing that got consistently on my nerves but also made me laugh and enjoy it just as much was the dubbing. It was the worst, silliest shit I’ve heard all week. The mouths kept moving for up to two seconds after they stopped talking, but that’s not even the worst part. The voices were silly, like bad guy voices from Saturday morning cartoons, except for every single character.

Follow this link to watch a trailer, or watch the full movie below dubbed in English. Cheers!